United States Patent (19)
Voltmer
54). MECHANISM FOR APPLYING LABELS
AND THE LIKE
(75) Inventor: Helmut Voltmer, Park Ridge, N.J.
(73) Assignee: NJM, Inc., Fairfield, N.J.
(21) Appl. No.: 300,054
22 Filed: Sep. 8, 1981
(51) Int. Cl. ................................................ B44C 1/00
(52) U.S. C. .................................... 156/542; 156/361;
156/363; 156/584
58) Field of Search ................ 156/542, 584,361-363,
156/571,572, DIG. 31; 271/90, 107, 112, 26R,
100
(56) References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
3,682,743 8/1972 Cleary et al. ................... 156/584. X
3,997,384 12/1976 Kuring ............................ 156/362 X
4,276, 112, 6/1981 French et al. .................. 156/542 X
Primary Examiner-David A. Simmons
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John J. Hart
57 ABSTRACT
The mechanism comprises a pressure sensitive label
dispenser for delivering successively pressure sensitive
labels from a backing sheet to a label applying station.
At the applying station is a mouthpiece having one
longitudinal side edge arranged to be transversely dis
posed across the path of feed of the backing strip and
having a lower perforated label carrying surface of less
width than the label to be carried thereby. Mounted on
the other longitudinal side edge of the mouthpiece is an
applying roll. The mouthpiece forms a part of a unit
which is fastened to the label dispenser so that a label
11) 4,366,023
(45) Dec. 28, 1982
discharged therefrom moves across the label carrying
surface and comes to rest with its advancing edge por
tion positioned beneath the applying roll. A tubular
shaft which also communicates with the mouthpiece to
provide suction at its label carrying surface supports the
mouthpiece for pivotal movement about its one longitu
dinal side edge. The shaft has affixed thereto a straight
lever, to one arm of which, is connected a solenoid
which is energized by electronic means actuated by
register marks on a rapidly moving web or by objects
carried by a rapidly moving conveyor to pivot the
mouthpiece down to cause the applying roll to press the
advancing edge portion of the label into adhered rela
tion on an article area moving rapidly beneath the ap
plying station. Means are connected to the other arm of
the straight lever to restore the mouthpiece to its label
securing position as soon as the label has been applied to
the rapidly moving label area. Means are provided to
stop the advancement of the backing sheet each time a
label is delivered to the applying station. The electronic
means for actuating the mouthpiece and its applying roll
to apply a label to an article area also restarts the ad
vancement of the backing label so that a succeeding
label is fed to the mouthpiece as the previously held
label is being stripped therefrom. The unit comprising
the mouthpiece, the applying roller, means for pivoting
the same to apply a label and means for restoring the
mouthpiece for normal label receiving position can be
installed in any high speed pressure sensitive label dis
penser that can maintain accurate step-by-step move-.
ment. Such a dispenser however would need to be mod
ified to practice the purposes of this invention.
2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures
U.S. Patent Dec. 28, 1982 Sheet 1 of 3 4,366,023
U.S. Patent Dec. 28, 1982 Sheet 2 of 3 4,366,023

F. G. 3 F G. 4.
U.S. Patent Dec. 28, 1982 Sheet 3 of 3 4,366,023

F. G. 5
 4,366,023
1 2
MECHANISMFORAPPLYING LABELS AND THE
LIKE
THE INVENTION
This invention relates to mechanism for successively
applying pressure sensitive adhesive coated labels, me
dallions, coupons, and the like, hereinafter collectively
referred to as "labels', to articles moving along a given
path. The articles may comprise a continuously moving
web of material in strip form, or a continuously moving
line of separate objects.
The invention particularly relates to a mechanism
which is especially advantageous for the application of
pressure sensitive labels supplied by any high speed
pressure sensitive label dispenser that can maintain ac
curate step-by-step movement of the continuous back
ing web on which the labels are mounted.
The principal object of the invention is to provide an
improved mechanism capable of accurately placing
within -1/32 inch and adhering pressure sensitive ad
hesive labels to successively spaced desired areas mov
ing continuously along a given path at approximately
600 feet per minute.
Another object of the invention is to provide an im
proved mechanism capable of accurately placing and
adhering pressure sensitive adhesive labels to desired
areas on a continuous web of material, or on generally
flat surfaces provided by a line of objects moving past a
given station at speeds of from 500 to 700 web areas or
object surfaces per minute.
A further object of the invention is to provide an
improved mechanism which can be mounted on any
known high speed pressure sensitive label dispenser that
maintains accurate step-by-step movement, and which
is capable of accurately placing and adhering pressure
sensitive labels successively released from a backing
web by such dispenser onto successively spaced desired
areas moving past the place of release of such labels by
the dispenser at high speed.
Other objects of the invention, as well as the features
of novelty thereof, will become apparent from a perusal
of the following description when read in connection
with the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a partial schematic view of a pressure sensi
tive label dispenser embodying the invention;
FIG. 2 is a perspective schematic view of the applica
tor mechanism mounted on the dispenser for applying
the freed pressure sensitive labels to the desired article
areas;
FIG. 3 is a partial schematic view of the dispenser
shown in FIG. 1 and showing the applicator mechanism
positioned thereon to apply freed labels to a moving
printed web;
FIG. 4 is a plan view of a portion of the printed web
shown in FIG. 3; and - It will be understood from the foregoing that when
FIG. 5 is a partial schematic view of the dispenser
shown in FIG. 1 and showing the applicator mechanism
arranged thereon to apply successively freed labels to
objects carried by a rapidly moving conveyor.
Reference is now made to FIG. 1 of the drawings,
which shows by way of example a form of pressure
sensitive label dispenser embodying the invention that
may be utilized to apply freed pressure sensitive labels
to a moving printed web as shown in FIG. 3, or to a
moving line of objects as shown in FIG. 5. The dis
penser includes a supply roll 10 of pressure sensitive
labels 11 which as previously pointed out may be regu
lar article labels, medallions, coupons, and the like,
provided on paper, film, foil or fabric. As is customary,
the pressure sensitive labels 11 are mounted in a contin
uous line on a backing web 12 of paper material that
embodies a material enabling the progressive release of
the labels when the web 12 is bent about the sharp end
of a peel plate of known construction. The supply roll
10 is mounted on a support shaft 15 supported by a
10
frame plate 16 of the dispenser. The roll 10 is unwound
and the web 12 is pulled from the roll by a continuously
moving roll 20 and a roll 21 intermittently contacting
the roll 20. The roll 20 is continuously driven by a gear
head motor (not shown) mounted on the frame plate 16.
The roll 21 is biased into contact with the roll 20 by a
15
spring 22 fixed at one end to the plate 16 and connected
at the other end to one arm 23 of a bell crank lever 23
pivotally mounted on a shaft secured to the plate 16.
The other arm of lever 23 carries the roll 21. The en
gagement of roll 21 with roll 20 carries the backing web
20
12 to move from the supply roll 10 in the direction
shown by the arrows 24 toward a guide bar 25 located
at the lower open end of a box-like column 26. At the
top of column 26 is provided a small exhaust fan 27
capable of drawing the web passing the guide bar 25 up
25
into the column 26 to form an upwardly extending loop
28.
The leg of the loop discharging from the column 26
passes around a second guide bar 29 located at the
lower end of the column 26. The backing web is drawn
30
from the loop 28 around such guide bar 29, the sharp
end of the peel plate 14 and under a spacing guide bar 33
when a roll 34, diametrically positioned relative to the
roll 21, presses against the underside of the continuously
35 rotatable roll 20. The roll 34 is mounted on one arm of
a pivotally mounted bell crank lever 35, to the other
arm 35' of which is connected one end of a spring 36
whose other end is secured to the frame plate 16. The
tension of spring 36 tends to maintain the roll 34 in
contact with the roll 20. -
The column 26 carries on one of its side walls two
vertically spaced sources of light 40 and 41 whose
beams project on electronic light sensors 42 and 43,
respectively, mounted on an opposing side wall of the
45 column. The sensors 42 and 43 are electrically con
nected to an electronic chassis 44 of known construc
tion. Also electrically connected to the electronic chas
sis 44 are two solenoids 45 and 46. The solenoid 45 is so
connected to the arm 23' of the lever 23 that when it is
50 energized it pivots the lever 23 to withdraw the roll 21
from contact with the roll 20 against the tension of the
spring 22. The solenoid 46 is so connected to the arm 35'
of the lever 35 that when it is energized it pivots the
lever 35 to withdraw the roll 34 from contact with the
55 roll 20 against the tension of the spring 36.
the loop 28 is fed by the rolls 20, 21 to the point where
it intersects the beam of light passing from the source 40
to the sensor 42, the latter sends a signal to the elec
60 tronic chassis 44. This signal causes the chassis 44 to
activate the solenoid 45 to pivot the lever 23 in a coun
terclockwise direction against the tension of spring 22
and thereby lift the roll 21 out of engagement with the
roll 20. Thus the feed of web from the roll 10 to the loop
65 28 is stopped. As the web continues to be taken from the
loop 28 by the coaction of the rolls 20 and 34, the loop
28 depletes until it permits the passage of light from
light source 41 to the sensor 43. When this occurs the
 4,366,023
3 4.
sensor 43 signals the chassis 44 to deenergize the sole
noid 45 and permit the spring 22 to rotate the lever 23 in
a clockwise direction until the roll 21 reengages the roll
20 thereby causing the feeding of more web into the
loop 28.
During the feed of the web 12 from the loop 28 by the
coaction of the rolls 20, 34, the web moves over an
elongated support plate 50 which has connected to its
downstream end the sharp radiused peel plate 14. Asso
ciated with the support plate 50 is a resilient squeezing 10
member arranged to grip the web against the plate 50
and thereby create a tension in the web as it is pulled by
the rolls 20, 34 about the sharp end of the peel plate 14.
As is shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings, the resilient
squeezing member may comprise a brush 52 mounted 15
on a stud 53 supported by the frame plate 16. As the
web is being drawn under tension around the sharp
radius of the peel plate 14, the labels 11 which are re
leasably fastened to the coated web 12 will progres
sively peel from the web until they are entirely free 20
therefron, as illustrated by the label designated 11 in
FIG. 1 of the drawings.
Associated with the support plate 50 between the
resilient squeezing member 52 and the sharp end of the
peel plate 14 is a light source 55 arranged to project its
beam upwardly through the backing web 12 towards a
light sensor 56 located above the web and electrically
connected to the electronic chassis 44. The backing web
12 is rendered translucent by the releasable material
provided on it, thereby permitting the passage of some
light from the source 55 to the sensor 56. However, the
areas of the web which are covered by the labels 11 are
rendered opaque, or at least considerably less translu
cent than the areas of the web between the labels. Thus
when the front or advancing edge of a label 11 moves
into interference with the light beam from source 55,
the light is either blocked from reaching the sensor 56,
or considerably reduced in intensity. This change in the
intensity of light reaching the sensor 56 causes the latter
to send a signal to the chassis 44 which in turn energizes
the solenoid 46. The energized solenoid 46 pulls on the
arm 35' of the lever 35, overcoming the tension of the
spring 36 and causing the lever 35 to rotate in a clock
wise direction about its pivot to disengage the roll 34
from the roll 20. Upon such disengagement of the rolls 45
20, 34, the backing web 12 will immediately stop mov
ing due to the resistance to such movement created by
the clamping action of the device 52. The light source
55 and the sensor 56 are adjustably mounted on the
support 50 so that they can be moved as a unit along the 50
path of movement of the web. Thus, it is possible to
adjust the stopping position of the web so that it occurs
just as a label 11 is peeled off the web. In other words,
the adjustment may be such that the trailing edge of the
terminai label will have just been released from the 55
backing strip at the time that the web stops its forward
motion, as is illustrated by the label 11 in FIG. 1 of the
drawings.
The movement of the backing web 12 may be re
sumed by an external switch of known construction
which is electrically connected to the chassis 44 so that
when it is actuated it directs the chassis 44 to deenergize
the solenoid 46, thereby enabling the spring 36 to pivot
the lever 35 to return the roll 34 into operative engage
ment with the roll 20. The external switch may be a
known electronic scanning device 60 electrically con
nected by wires 61, 61 to the chassis 44 (compare FIGS.
1 and 4) and comprising a light source and a sensor
arranged to be activated by register marks 62 provided
on a web of printed matter passing by this electronic
switch as shown in FIG. 4, or by objects passing be
tween them, as is illustrated by the light source 63 and
sensor 64 shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. After the
backing web 12 passes between the register draw rolls
20, 34 it is fed between two lightly touching rolls 65, 66
which are driven by a belt 67 connecting the continu
ously driven roll 20 with roll 65. The rolls 65, 66 serve
to remove the label depleted portions of the backing
strip 12 from the register roll area and feed it to a re
winder, or to a place where it can be pushed into a
disposal container 68, or into the intake end of a central
vacuum cleaning system.
The application mechanism for applying the labels
11' freed from the backing tape 12 to the desired article
areas is shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. As has been
previously indicated this applicator mechanism is a
unitary device which may be mounted on any high
speed pressure sensitive label dispenser that can main
tain accurate step-by-step movement, such as the pres
sure sensitive label dispenser shown in FIG. 1 and
above described. The applicator unit comprises an inner
end, vertically disposed, as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 3,
25 attachment block or portion 70 which may be bolted to
a support provided in the dispenser, such as the bar 71
shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 of the drawings. The bar 71 is
vertically disposed with relation to and adjustably
mounted on the support plate 50 to one side of the path
30 of the backing tape 12 and the outer end thereof to
which the attachment block 70 of the applicator unit is
attached, is located adjacent to the inner end of the peel
plate 14. Integral with the attachment block 70 is an
outwardly extending plate 72 disposed at right angles to
35 the attachment block 70 and with one side aligned with
the front face of the block 70, as viewed in FIG. 2 so as
to be located to one side of and in parallel relation to the
path of the backing web 12. The plate 72 extends in
wardly from such one side so as to be located on the
40 dispenser between such web path and the frame plate 16
and slightly above the former. Thus the plate 72 will be
arranged on the dispenser in offset parallel relation to
the path of the backing web 12. The plate 72 is formed
to provide a pair of spaced outwardly disposed exten
sions 73, 74, the outer ends of which serve as bearing
supports for a transverse shaft 75 having a front end
projecting beyond the said one side of the plate 72.
Secured to the portion of the shaft 75 located between
the bearing supports 73,74, is the outer end of a lever 76
in the form of a plate. The lever 76 extends inwardly
from the shaft 75 and between the bearing supports or
extensions 73, 74 toward the roots of such extensions
and is pivotally connected at its inner free end to the
core 78 of a solenoid 79. The body of the solenoid con
taining its coil is secured at its upper end to the horizon
tal arm 81 of an angular bracket 82 mounted on the plate
72. The bracket arm 81 extends in spaced relation out
wardly over the lever 76 and has connected to its outer
end one end of a vertically disposed spring 83 which is
60 connected at its lower end to the outer end of a post 84
projecting outwardly from the outer end of the lever 76
to a point beyond the shaft 75. The spring 83 maintains
the lever 76 in parallel relation to the extensions 73, 74
when the solenoid 79 is deemergized, compare FIG. 2
65 with FIG. 1 or 3. When the solenoid 79 is energized it
lifts the inner end of the lever 76 against the tension of
the spring 83, causing the lever 76 to pivot upwardly
about the longitudinal axis of the shaft 75. The solenoid
 4,366,023
5 6
is electrically connected to the electronic chassis 44 and
its energization is controlled by the scanning device 60
in a manner which will hereinafter become more clear.
The forwardly projecting portion of the shaft 75 has
connected to its forward end an elongated vacuum
mouthpiece 87 which as a whole is located at the label
applying station and positioned so as to be adjacently
above the peel plate 14 and extending forwardly from
the shaft 75 across the just in front of the sharp end of
the peel plate 14. The location of the mouthpiece 87
relative to the peel plate 14 is such that as the terminal
label 11" is progressively peeled from the backing web
12 by the peel plate 14, the label 11' will slide across the
lower face 88 of the mouthpiece 87. The dimensions of
the lower face 88 of the mouthpiece 87 are such that
when the label 11" is entirely freed from the backing
web 12 the vacuum created at such lower face will be
such as to hold the freed label 11" in suspension with its
leading edge portion underlying an applying roll 89, as
indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings. The roll 89
is rotatably supported by two spaced bearing lugs 90,90
projecting from the outer longitudinal edge of the
mouthpiece 87. The lower face 88 of the mouthpiece 87
is provided with a plurality of vacuum holes 91 which
bring the face into communication with a vacuum
chamber 92 formed in the body of the mouthpiece 87.
The shaft 75 is a tubular shaft which communicates at its
forward end with the vacuum chamber 92. At its other
or rear end, the shaft has connected thereto by an air
tight seal a hose 93 which is connected to a vacuum
pump, not shown.
The above described applying or applicator mecha
nism is shown in FIG.3 of the drawings attached to a
pressure sensitive label dispenser similar to the one
above described and shown in FIG. 1 and arranged on
a printing press of known construction to place labels
on a printed web 95 while it is in the press being printed.
Thus, the application of the labels to the web 95 is being
done substantially simultaneously with the printing of
the web without sacrificing the quality or the speed of 40
printing. As previously indicated, the applicator is so
arranged with respect to the peel-point nose piece of the
peel plate 14 that, the lower face 88 of the mouthpiece
87 of the applicator is so close to the plane of the termi
nal label 11' being freed from the backing web 12 by the 45
peel plate that as the label 11' is being progressively
peeled from the backing web it will slide across the
lower face 88 of the mouthpiece. The vacuum furnished
at the lower face 88 is such that the label 11 will be held
in slidable contact with such face 88 as it is progres 50
sively peeling off the backing web. When the label 11'
has been completely peeled from the backing web, the
vacuum at the mouthpiece face 88 will stop the move
ment of the freed label11' and hold it over the moving
printed web 95 with the leading edge portion of the 55
label under the applying roll 89.
As shown in FIG. 3, the web 95 in its rapid move
ment moves from a press unwind (not shown), through
a printing press color station 97, past the scanning de
vice 60 and over a guide roll 99 located at the label 60
applying station adjacently below the freed label 11"
held by the mouthpiece 87. The web 95 passes from the
roll 99 in a horizontal direction to a spaced guide roll
100 and, from thence to the press rewind (not shown).
As previously indicated the web 95 is provided with 65
printed register marks 62 which during the printing
operation have been printed on the web in register with
the areas 98 which have printed on the web and locating
the exact area on the web to which a label 11' is to be
applied. The register marks 62 may be either a part of
the material printed in the areas 98 of the web 95, or as
is shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, be printed along the
edge of the web 95 where they can be slit off as the
printed web is rewound or fan folded. As the printed
register marks 62 in the travel of the web 95 pass the
reflective scanning device 60, the contrast in color
caused by the register marks 62 will activate the scan
10 ning device 60 to send a signal to the electronic chassis
44. Upon receipt of such signal, the chassis 44 simulta
neously energizes the solenoids 79 in FIGS. 2 and 3, and
46 in FIG. 1. As previously described the energizing of
solenoid 46 starts the feed of the backing web 12 which
15 has been stopped by the action of the scanning means
composed of the light source 55 and the sensor 56 upon
the complete discharge of the label 11" from the backing
web 12. The energizing of solenoid 79 causes the lever
76 to pivot upwardly in a clockwise direction about the
20 longitudinal axis of shaft 75 from the position shown in
FIGS. 2 and 3, to the position shown in FIG. 5. Such
pivotal movement of the lever 76 rotates the shaft 75 in
a similar direction to cause the suction mouthpiece 87 to
pivot downwardly about the longitudinal axis of shaft
25 75 to bring the applying roll 89 downwardly and im
pinge the leading edge portion of the label 11" carried
by the mouthpiece on the portion 98 of the printed web
passing over the guide roll 99. The extreme tack of the
pressure sensitive adhesive on the label causes it to
30 immediately bond to the rapidly moving web 95 which
thereupon strips the remainder of the label from the
mouthpiece 87. The solenoid is energized only momen
tarily by the chassis 44, just sufficiently long to cause
the applying roll 89 to engage the leading edge portion
35 of the label11' with the printed web 95. Thereupon, the
spring 83 immediately rotates the shaft 75 to return the
lever 76, the mouthpiece 87 and the applying roll 89 to
their deemergized positions, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3
of the drawings.
It will be understood from the foregoing that the
label 11" is being applied to the printed web and moved
away from the mouthpiece 87 at great speed, while the
succeeding pressure sensitive label is moving from the
backing web 12 to the mouthpiece. By the time such
succeeding label has moved into sliding engagement
with the mouthpiece 87, the latter and the applying roll
89 are out of contact with the printed web and substan
tially in the position shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings.
The aforesaid results are accomplished by the actions of
the scanning means composed of the light source 55 and
the sensor 56. As has been previously explained the light
source 55 and sensor 56 act to cause the chassis 44 to
energize the solenoid 46 to stop the feeding movement
of the backing web 12 immediately upon the blockage
of the beam from the light source 55 by the advancing
end of a selected succeeding label 11 located down
stream from the sharp edge of the peel plate 14. This
stoppage of the backing web occurs just as the trailing
edge of the terminal label 11" has been released from the
backing web or strip 12 and is being held in suspended
condition at the label applying station by the mouth
piece 87. When the scanning device 60 is activated by a
register mark 62 on the printed web 95, the chassis 44 is
directed both to deemergize the solenoid 46 and to ener
gize the solenoid 79, thereby restarting the feed of the
backing web 12 and applying the leading end portion of
the label 11' held by the mouthpiece 87 to the printed
web 95. As previously mentioned the solenoid 79 is only
 4,366,023
7 8
momentarily energized to accomplish the application of
the leading end portion of the label 11" by the applying
roll 89 associated with the mouthpiece 87 and to main
tain the pressing action of the applying roll 89 on the
label 11" as it is being stripped from the mouthpiece 87
by the printed web portion 98 to which the label has
been adhered. As soon as such application is made, the
spring 83 comes into action to restore the mouthpiece to
its starting position. It will be understood that the afore
said applying action is extremely rapid for the series of 10
printed web portions 98 are moving past the mouth
piece 87 at a rate of approximately 700 per minute. The
degree of accuracy of such applications is extremely
high, of the order of +1/32 of an inch, because of the
close coordination of the scanning device composed of 15
the light source 55 and sensor 56 and the scanning de
vice 60 and means controlling the operations of such
scanning means and the means controlled thereby.
FIG. 5 shows how the pressure sensitive label dis
penser and the attached applicator mechanism may be 20
arranged relative to a rapidly moving conveyor carry
ing articles to be labeled. The conveyor 105 illustrated
is moving objects such as cereal box blanks 106 at
speeds of 500–600 per minute under the dispenser
applicator. In the arrangement illustrated, the dispens 25
er-applicator is disposed in angular relation above the
conveyor 105 and is shown in the act of applying to one
of the cereal box blanks a label 11' which has just been
peeled from the backing web 12 and is carried by the
mouthpiece 87. As shown, the solenoid 79 has been 30
momentarily energized to pivot the lever 76 upwardly
thus causing the shaft 75 to rotate the mouthpiece 87
downwardly so that the applying roll 89 presses the
leading edge portion of the label carried by the mouth
piece against the top surface of the box blank to which 35
such label edge portion is instantly bonded by the tacky
pressure sensitive adhesive coating the underside of the
label. Almost instantly thereafter the label will be
stripped off the mouthpiece and applied by the roll 89 to
the box blank as the latter continues its rapid movement.
The dispenser-applicator will then continue operating
in the manner previously described with relation to the
printing press shown in FIG. 3 to feed a succeeding
label to the mouthpiece 87 for application to the next
box blank. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 5, the
light source 63 and sensor 64, which are directly con
nected to the chassis 44, are arranged at a given place so
that the light beam from the source 63 is projected
through the run of the conveyor 105 carrying the box
blanks 106. The conveyor is constructed so that a por
tion at least of the light beam reaches the sensor 64
through those portions of the top run of the conveyor
not bearing the box blanks. When the front edge of a
box blank on the upper conveyor run moves into inter
ference with the light beam to block its passage to the
sensor 64, sensor 64 will send a signal to the chassis 44
causing the energization of the solenoids 79 (FIGS. 2
and 3) and 46 (FIG. 1) to cause the feed of the backing
web 12 to be restored and the application of a label 11"
carried by the mouthpiece 87 to a box blank moving
past the applying station as previously described. The
place of light source 63 and sensor 64 is selected so that
when the front edge of a box blank blocks the beam
from the light source the mouthpiece 87 and roller 89
will impress a label 11 on a given selected area of the
box blank.
While I have hereinabove described and illustrated in
the drawings preferred embodiments of my invention, it
will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifica
tions may be made therein without departing from the
spirit of the invention of the scope of the appended
claims.
What is claimed is:
1. An applicator unit for attachment to a pressure
sensitive label dispenser arranged to supply successive
detached pressure sensitive labels arranged on a backing
strip to an article applying station, said applicator unit
comprising a mounting portion adapted to be fastened
to the label dispenser, a plate extending from said
mounting portion and centrally cut out to provide a pair
of longitudinally extending extensions spaced by an
open ended slot, a tubular shaft rotatably mounted on
the outer free ends of said extensions, a straight lever
secured to said shaft between said extensions and having
one arm located in said open ended slot and the other
arm projecting outwardly from said tubular shaft, a
suction mouthpiece having one longitudinal side edge
portion connected to one end of said shaft and having
an interior suction chamber in communication with a
lower perforated label carrying surface, the interior of
said tubular shaft being in communication with said
suction chamber and connected at its other end to a
source of suction, label pressing means on the other
longitudinal side edge portion of said mouthpiece for
engaging the advancing edge portion of a label dis
charged by said label dispenser, the unit being so posi
tioned on the dispenser that successive labels supplied
by the latter will be fed across said label carrying sur
face and supported by the vacuum furnished through
the latter with the advancing edge portions of such
labels positioned beneath said pressing means, a sole
noid connected to the inner end of said one lever arm
and operable when energized to raise such lever arm
about the longitudinal axis of said shaft and thereby to
pivot said mouthpiece downwardly about said longitu
dinal axis to cause said pressing means to adhere the
front edge portion of the label carried by said mouth
piece to an article area, and a spring connected to the
outer end of said other lever arm for returning said
mouthpiece and said lever to their starting positions.
2. The combination of means for successively supply
ing pressure sensitive labels to an article applying sta
45 tion, including means for advancing a backing web
carrying a series of pressure sensitive labels toward said
applying station and means for successively separating
from said backing web the labels to be delivered to said
applying station, means for stopping the operation of
50 said advancing means each time a separated label is
delivered to the applying station, means for rapidly
moving a series of article areas past said applying sta
tion, means located at the applying station for succes
sively applying the separated labels delivered thereat to
55 said article areas, said applying means comprising shaft
supporting means, a tubular shaft rotatably supported
by said shaft supporting means, a lever secured to said
shaft and having one arm projecting in one direction
from said shaft, said lever having another arm project
60 ing in another direction from said shaft, a suction
mouthpiece connected to one end of said shaft and
having an interior suction chamber in communication
with a lower perforated label carrying surface, the inte
rior of said tubular shaft being in communication with
65 said suction chamber and connected at its outer end to
a source of suction, label pressing means carried by said
mouthpiece for engaging the advancing edge portion of
a label delivered to said applying station, said mouth
 4,366,023
piece being so positioned that successive labels deliv
ered to said station will be fed across said label carrying
surface.and supported by the vacuum furnished through
the latter with the advancing edge portions of such
labels positioned beneath said pressing means, a sole
noid connected to said one lever arm and operable
when energized to move said lever arm about the longi
tudinal axis of said shaft and thereby to pivot said
mouthpiece toward an article area and cause said press
10
10
ing means to adhere the front edge portion of a label
carried by said mouthpiece to such article area, said
solenoid maintaining such pressing means in such posi
tion until the label is stripped from the mouthpiece by
the rapid movement of such article area, and a spring
connected to said other lever arm for returning said
mouthpiece and said lever to their starting positions
after such label has been
k k
stripped
sk sk
from said mouthpiece.

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